Cooking is no mere hobby; it’s a necessary life skill! Those who cook for themselves are healthier, happier, and better off financially. Teach your kids the culinary arts from an early age through:

Curious Consumption

One of the quickest ways to interest your kids in cooking is to connect it to their favorite foods. Start by asking them to guess which ingredients contributed to a certain flavor. If your kids like spicy foods, have them identify their favorite spices; if they like cheese, see if they can tell different cheeses apart by taste. This will make cooking less abstract, showing them the relationship between the dishes they love and their ingredients.

Hands-On Honing

Children learn best by doing, so instead of helping you cook, they should cook on their own as soon as possible. Ask them what dish they’d like to make, provide them with the recipe and ingredients, and supervise them while they put it together. Tell them they can make whatever they want within reason, but they have to eat whatever they make. This will give them an incentive to follow instructions, cook with care, and quickly learn how to make great food.

Gainful Gardening

If your kids have a chance to grow some of their ingredients, they will feel even more connected to the food they cook. They will also feel less inclined to waste food, as they will remember the hard work that went into every tomato, cucumber, or berry they grew. Thus if you have the space, plant a garden with as wide a range of crops as possible and teach your kids how to tend it.

Encouraging Expressions

Cooking is hard, so give your kids credit for their efforts. Every time they present you with a new dish, thank them for it, eat it, and say something nice about it. The more you encourage them, the more willing they will be to take risks and learn new things.